Abstract：
Due to the immature intestinal digestion, immunity, and barrier functions, weaned infants are more susceptible to pathogens and develop diarrhea. Microplastics (MPs), pervasive contaminants in food, water, and air, have unknown effects on the intestinal development of weaned infants. This study explored the impact of polystyrene MPs on intestinal development using a weaned piglet model. Piglets in the control group received a basal diet, and those in the experimental groups received a basal diet contaminated with 150 mg/kg polystyrene MPs. The results showed that exposure to polystyrene MPs increased the diarrhea incidence and impaired the intestinal barrier function of weaned piglets. Notably, the exposure led to oxidative stress and inflammation in the intestine. Furthermore, polystyrene MPs-treated weaned piglets showed a reduced level of intestinal angiogenesis. Mechanistically, polystyrene MPs suppressed methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) expression by increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, consequently destabilizing angiogenic factors\' mRNA and hindering intestinal angiogenesis. In summary, polystyrene MPs contamination in the diet increases diarrhea and compromises intestinal angiogenesis through the ROS/METTL3 pathway, demonstrating their toxic effects on the intestine health of weaned infants.
摘要：
由于肠道消化不成熟，豁免权,和屏障功能，断奶婴儿更容易感染病原体和腹泻。微塑料（MPs），食物中普遍存在的污染物，水,和空气,对断奶婴儿的肠道发育有未知的影响。本研究利用断奶仔猪模型探讨了聚苯乙烯MPs对肠道发育的影响。对照组仔猪接受基础日粮,实验组接受150mg/kg聚苯乙烯MPs污染的基础饮食。结果表明,接触聚苯乙烯MPs会增加断奶仔猪腹泻的发生率,损害肠道屏障功能。值得注意的是,暴露导致肠道氧化应激和炎症。此外，聚苯乙烯MPs处理的断奶仔猪显示肠道血管生成水平降低。机械上,聚苯乙烯MPs通过增加活性氧（ROS）的产生来抑制甲基转移酶样3（METTL3）的表达，因此不稳定的血管生成因子\'mRNA和阻碍肠血管生成。总之,饮食中的聚苯乙烯MPs污染会增加腹泻，并通过ROS/METTL3途径损害肠道血管生成，证明了它们对断奶婴儿肠道健康的毒性作用。
